Drone Attack On Sevastopol
This morning at 4:20 local time the Russian fleet in the Crimean port of Sevastopol was attacked by nine unmanned aerial vehicles and seven autonomous maritime drones. Earlier a maritime drone that had run aground in Crimea and had been found and pictured.
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During today's attack a large U.S. drone had flown circles south of Crimea. It likely relayed data from and to the drones.
The maritime drones are British and Russia alleges that British specialists had trained the Ukrainian navy in using them. It also says that British soldiers were involved in the attack on the Nord Stream pipeline.
The Ukrainians published two videos shot by the maritime drones while attacking. One of the video shows extensive gun fire impacts near the drone from a Russian helicopter that is attacking it.
The Russians say that all the aerial drones and 4 of 7 maritime drones were defeated before they could caused damage. They also say that one mine seeking ship was damaged in the harbor. It is possible that the damage is greater than Russia admits.
As a consequence of the attack Russia declared that the deal which allowed for grain exports from Odessa has been suspended. That deal had already been in danger as the 'west' had not fulfilled its part of the deal which would have allowed for the export for Russian fertilizer to third parties.
I find it likely that Russia will take additional measures to punish the Ukrainian navy for the brazen attack. Additional attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure is another possibility.
Meanwhile all recent attempts by the Ukrainian army to penetrate the Russian held lines have failed. It is notable that these are now much smaller in size with just a battalion or in some cases just two companies in the lead.
It is now definitely mud season in Ukraine during which it is impossible to cross most farmland even on feet. This will hinder the attacking forces on both sides until winter sets in.
Posted by b on October 29, 2022 at 16:24 UTC | Permalink
next page »More silly prizes on the way to 404, who apparently still don't realise that this is what you get for playing silly games
Posted by: MickW | Oct 29 2022 16:35 utc | 2
The desperation by the Western powers becomes more obvious by the day. Their sole option now is a horrendous attempt at a false flag event. I despair for the innocent people of the world caught up in this Western inspired madness.
Posted by: Thaisleeze | Oct 29 2022 16:37 utc | 3
These actions are so provocative. Especially with the bigger drone coordinating the smaller ones.
Imagine if these drones had sunk several ships? It wouldn’t have changed the outcome but I get the impression that the west are desperate for Russia to do something big so that that west can openly enter the war.
Are we going to get more of these leading up to the mid terms?
Posted by: Justin | Oct 29 2022 16:39 utc | 4
Perhaps one of the dangers of going slow. On the other hand, we’re not privy to the level of information known by Russia and shared with other states. The world agrees that it wants this conflict to be over, well the world outside DC/London wants this conflict to be over. They knew this would end the grain deal no matter how it ended. We can assume it hasn’t ended in a glorious NATO victory since it’s not being publicized with fanfare and evidence of sinking Russian naval vessels (the damage almost is certainly greater than Russia admits).
This week the Germans and French couldn’t decide whether they want to renew old feuds or band together against the US over being pillaged. Each time some wile e coyote ass stunt by the US/UK there’s another tick on the ledger that the real problems are the Brits and Yanks. The Europeans won’t say it out loud but they’re learning … slowly.
Going slow is dangerous but it is also giving Russia’s adversary a lot of rope for hanging itself. The US/UK are led by people more than capable of hanging themselves, whether by accident, belief that they cannot be hung or even out of ideological spite.
Posted by: Lex | Oct 29 2022 16:44 utc | 5
Western belligerence. Time for Obama to shut his op down. So pathetic.
Posted by: Dotar Sojat | Oct 29 2022 16:48 utc | 6
I’m kinda curious the intent of Russia accusing Britain of a terrorist act. Is this a declaration of war? Has WW3 officially kicked off?
Posted by: Meh | Oct 29 2022 16:52 utc | 7
To note the obvious: This type assault would be morel difficult if Russia had control of the region around Odessa.
Posted by: jared | Oct 29 2022 16:54 utc | 8
I am agreeing with the Russians on this one. Though every little detail is not made public, it's pretty clear that the agreed upon purpose of the grain deal has not been faithfully honored. The Russians are almost certainly telling the truth about British involvement in both the attack on Sevastopol and the Nordstream bombings (and, yes, it is nearly impossible to deny that certain elements of US agencies were also involved).
Thank you for posting, I am glad to hear from you again Bernard.
This is the kind of operation Hamas could pull off. What happened to all those billions funding Ukraine's super duper modern NATO backed military?
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Oct 29 2022 17:10 utc | 10
Also, about the picture of the surface drone...
Yeah, that's doable, looks like a seven foot aluminum johnboat (the kind they used to sell without motors at Academy for a few hundred dollars). Retrofitted with a battery bank and a 'not necessarily available to the general public' electric motor and propulsion, with gadgets and payload,... Not impossible.
@ 7 Meh
Russians are saying that since blowing up of the pipelines and the drone attack are, under International law, constitute Casus Belli, the UK are essentially dragging the West into the war with Russia. The question, therefore: do the British have the authority to make such decisions on behalf of us all? This is my reading.
Posted by: SergeT | Oct 29 2022 17:22 utc | 12
Judging from the "Blame the Brits" trend out of Russia and elsewhere, plus the rest of the 5-eyes allowing it to happen, it appears that Britain is being set up to get the first bloody nose outside of Ukrainian territory.
Lots of soft targets there.
Posted by: Opport Knocks | Oct 29 2022 17:22 utc | 13
I’m kinda curious the intent of Russia accusing Britain of a terrorist act. Is this a declaration of war? Has WW3 officially kicked off?
Posted by: Meh | Oct 29 2022 16:52 utc | 7
That will be up to the UK. The US / UK can find an excuse to go to war with Russia at any time, and for any reason the want to. But why do that when there are still live Ukrainians to throw into the meat grinder. The British population is not ready to die for a British vanity war in vast numbers.
Posted by: Ed Nelson | Oct 29 2022 17:27 utc | 14
Thanks b. for your solid content.
Point is here that NATO + Ukraine think that they will nibble slowly and dastardly RF military and strategically assets away, demoralizing it along the way.
Every time something low like this happens, RF answers appropriately and a bit more.
Grain exports stopped. Ok, it is a big thing and RF was just waiting for the good reason to stop those.
Probably some more rocket and reactive missiles about. Rinse and repeat.
RF stoically goes on undisturbed.
But, knowing a bit about RF, they do not forget.
What I expect somehow to happen and in the very near future, while land is not frozen yet, it might be the sensible thing for RF to perhaps focus on cutting Ukraine off its coast. As a preventive push to preserve Black Sea fleet and I see no other way for RF to keep the dominance and its rule of the Black Sea.
That will probably cost some forces, ships and such, but it is very doable.
Not even try to directly take Odessa, so just to surround it and control it. Perhaps also taking the Zmiinyi Island would be good thing to do - again.
That might take away the magnifying glass of RF offensive off Donetsk, Ugledar, Artemovsk etc. and shift the balance.
I am very curious to see what happens next.
Posted by: whirlX | Oct 29 2022 17:29 utc | 15
They can pull off a couple off sabotage attacks here and there. They can become consequential though, if they manage to damage or sink missile carriers.
Maybe there should be anti drone nets and more magnetic anomaly detectors to the harbor and longer around the peninsula.
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 29 2022 17:31 utc | 16
Russia's Go Slow is a big reason attacks like this are allowed to take place - apparently from the port city of Ochakov in Nikolaev Oblast - just south of Nikolaev!
If Russia had have taken Nikolaev and coastal Nikolaev in the last 6 months instead of not advancing an inch in Kherson since March - more than 7 months ago!! This attack would not have been possible.
What is the Russian strategy in this war? It is very unclear and seems to allow for several of their ships in the Black Sea to end up at the bottom of the ocean.
Why does Russia believe that is a good strategy and why is there no urgency or interest in securing the Ukrainian Black Sea coast - including Coastal Nikolaev at the very least? 6 months of Zero Progress hardly inspires confidence.
Posted by: Julian | Oct 29 2022 17:31 utc | 17
Go slow in war has these consequences. Stupid Russia delude herself to please anglos.
In any country putin would have been made to resign with tens of blunders in war.
Putin's treachery even in late October 2022!
2 days before Russians finally had the guts to say who sabotaged the NR pipes in Baltic sea-who else but satanic plotter English race from pirate island.
Still putin gives to BP billions when same England has stolen 300 billion dollars of Russia!!
Quote - - -
". I would like to take this opportunity to tell our friends from BP that the $700 million dividends they are entitled to for the second half of 2021 have been transferred to the accounts opened for them," said Sechin."
https://www.vesti.ru/finance/article/3012441
Posted by: Sam | Oct 29 2022 17:33 utc | 18
justin@4, nato, particularly america & england do not want to be openly involved. like the cohen song...everybody knows. bt declaring it openly on the evening news along with all the photos of what the ukraine nazis are doing to the russians isn't part of the package handed to the media. america declaring ww3 isn't going to help joe win in the fall, & the brits new pm, well, i suspect he's going to want a honeymoon after truss & i'm not sure the public is sufficiently brain washed to swallow war with nukes. i could be wrong bt i suspect mi6, the cia are as smug as the hero in the hollywood film...tweeking the public...just a few more tweeks & we'll be deemed ready.
Posted by: emersonreturn | Oct 29 2022 17:33 utc | 19
There is much more than meets the eye with the Ukraine conflict. Generally speaking Russia feels secure enough to go slow enough to let NATO come into the Ukraine and nations like Finland and Poland seek US nuclear weapons on their soil. The benefit of letting NATO use most of it's non-nuclear armament and deplete it's stock is of interest given the Biden corruption with China. Europe is the big loser -after the Ukraine-in the conflict so far and governments this winter will have heating issues and hot tempered populations. Also of interest is the similar policy of Russia to the policy favored by Globalists for digital currency, vaccinating the population with poison and vaccine passports. I imagine the winter death toll for the vaccinated will be higher due to broken immune systems and heating costs and food shortages. Of course broken immune systems will be Russian as well. My interest is the global overt and covert collaboration with WEF. Russians are still very interested in the 4th industrial revolution. Despite being blackballed by WEF they have not broken all ties. If then the goal of WEF is global hybrid communism similar to Chinese model the Ukraine conflict definitely helps this along. Especially if nuclear devices are used. To prevent open nuclear war the nations will be forced to reach some agreement. At present the European -de-industrialization surely is a benefit for China. And the transfer of resources to China instead of Europe by Russia is also a benefit. Arguably the entire conflict is a huge benefit for China.
Posted by: Stegiel | Oct 29 2022 17:36 utc | 20
The announcement by Russia regarding British involvement in the Nord Streams adds more flavor to Ben Wallace's surprise scuttling across the pond just before Sunak's accession. Wonder if he was warned in advance by Russia they had evidence linking the two? And how will Sunak respond? Wonder also if Truss had some wind of what was to happen and the blame being pinned on her. Who in the British chain of command approved?
I also wonder if this has the potential to bubble up into an October Surprise for the US election, or if it will be reserved for bringing down Biden afterwards as a means to pivot out of the very expensive losing war.
Posted by: super extra | Oct 29 2022 17:40 utc | 21
The big question for me is the UK leading the US (tail wagging the dog) or is the US using the UK (leading from behind) so that if these attempts go belly up they can throw the UK under the bus?
Posted by: Down South | Oct 29 2022 17:42 utc | 22
The UK seems well on their way to winning stupid prizes for their stupid actions. They seem to forget that they have 3.5 megatons of Richard stuck in the mouth of their Thames, a minor jostle away from potentially making a major mess of London. SS Richard Montgomery would not take much to get to go boom, and could easily be convinced to do so without there being any evidence as to why it exploded. Estimates of the damage that would do range from a moderately large explosion to a full on tsunami in central London. The jackpot of stupid prizes. A shame none of the "leaders" of the west care a bit about the poor schmucks they allegedly lead, or where they are leading them.
Posted by: Pete P | Oct 29 2022 17:44 utc | 23
The old-fashioned defense against surface and underwater threats are steel torpedo nets strung across the port entrance.
A drone with a contact exploder would get destroyed hitting the net. Follow-on drones might be able to penetrate through what was left of the net.
The USN does not let me get close enough to its nets in Norfolk VA to figure out what they are made of. The nets are strung between the ends of the docks. There is always a patrol boat warning encroaching boats to get away.
Posted by: Acco Hengst | Oct 29 2022 17:45 utc | 24
". I would like to take this opportunity to tell our friends from BP that the $700 million dividends they are entitled to for the second half of 2021 have been transferred to the accounts opened for them," said Sechin." https://www.vesti.ru/finance/article/3012441Posted by: Sam | Oct 29 2022 17:33 utc | 18
Like many, you are missing the subtle sarcasm. These are new Ruble accounts with Russian Banks which BP cannot access due to sanctions. They are telling BP the money is there, in Rubles, once sanctions are lifted. i.e. we will still honor our business contracts if you honor yours.
Posted by: Opport Knocks | Oct 29 2022 17:46 utc | 25
Posted by: Stegiel | Oct 29 2022 17:36 utc | 20
Zato-land is already deep into the the "Generplan Schwab". The "4th industrial revolution" or whatever you wanna call it was originally planned to occur once there was a single globohomo government and no national level opposition anywhere on earth. The fact that we now have 2 strong opposition countries plus a big bunch more on the side lines, is a big problem as it limits "Generplan Schwab" to the west, making them extremely weak.
The long game in Ukraine works in this sense very well on Zato, that they are weakening in a faster pace. Today I saw news that BASF Ludwigshaven is moving to China (that's potentially 39 000 workers and a mega large petrochemical complex, the heart of European industry), earlier BMW is moving electric car production to China, Philips is laying off a lot of people, etc. SME Businesses going bust every where. Aggregate demand declining. A death spiral.
So I repeat, the long strategy works very well, there is a lot of opposition but the anglo-zato keeps it under control with an iron fist and totalitarian regimes and media. Things will just start imploding worse over time, and the corporate world starts voting themselves and their supply chains with their pockets (literally) outside the west.
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 29 2022 17:46 utc | 26
I’m also wondering if this attack was the purpose of the unscheduled meeting between Ben Wallace, Lloyd Austin and General Milley just over a week ago?
Posted by: Down South | Oct 29 2022 17:48 utc | 27
Mud - That's Nowt.
Try WOMAD Festival 2007 when they moved to Charlton Park Wiltshire. The Mud was so thick and deep, glad I bought my monopod, with the intention of photography. Not only did it help me out of the quagmire..it also kind of worked as a lifeline - where we all held hands, to pull us out of the shit.
I suddenly detect, a massive change of editorial policy in The British Mainstream Press. Maybe the dam of complete lies and bollocks is starting to break, and these evil psychos are trying to cover their arseholes, for the warcrimes, that they are guilty of.
Cheering on, deliberately writing, publishing lies and propaganda from a psychotic government is totally unforgivable, especially in England.
These people are Traitors not just to England but all of Humanity.
Tony
Posted by: tonyopmoc | Oct 29 2022 17:50 utc | 28
"It isn’t Ukraine they are so intent on defending — it is their control over their neoliberal system as Putin stops them over and over from doing what they want, when they want, and how they want. First he stopped their pillaging of Russia, then Syria, and who knows what else has been put on hold because of a fear of Putin? Invading Iran maybe? Central Asia?" From Whom the Gods Would Destroy They First Make Mad or: Pride Comes Before The Fall (Of Europe)
Posted by: Kali El | Oct 29 2022 17:54 utc | 29
The obvious weakness of the “One for all, all for one” approach is that all depend on one – that is like giving a driving wheel to anyone how dares to grab it. I am sure Russians understand this and will exploit it.
The claim that the British are behind the attacks does exactly this. It basically questions the UK’s authority to drag Europeans into the war.
From this also follows that Russians must not - and, probably, never wanted to - take Kyiv. Currently, the Ukraine is the responsibility of the West that claimed its support. Again, the Europeans now find themselves in a position when their lives suddenly became dependant on some guys in Kyiv.
All Russians need to do is to stay calm, defend their positions, slow suffocating the Ukraine’s and the West’s economies. Time is on their side.
Posted by: SergeT | Oct 29 2022 18:00 utc | 30
“I'm kinda curious the intent of Russia accusing Britain of a terrorist act.”
imho, I believe two things.
Number 1: This, and the direct accusation of US assistance, is meant for ROW consumption. I'd be willing to bet that Russian media sources in every ROW nation are discussing this event. This is now “Putin said”.
Number 2: While I don't think this officially kicks off WW3, I most definitely expect some significant escalation by Russia. And I would not be surprised to see British assets targeted as well. I expect the event or events to overall be “more” than the previous targeting of West Ukrainian energy assets.
Posted by: Woke American | Oct 29 2022 18:03 utc | 31
More incremental escalation by the demon possessed West and their Ukie pets. Why is Putin/Russia still playing this stupid game? Putin laid out the blanket warning in February that any interference would have devastating unprecedented consequences for anybody daring to attempt it. 6 months later with dozens of prime examples of precisely that, AND HE HAS DONE NOTHING. Nada. ZIP. Zero....Except for whining to the UN which has been totally co-opted by the West for decades. Thereby inviting much more of the same. I do admire the man for many reasons, but he is blowing it big time by revealing himself as "all bark and no bite". So far Russia evokes no fear in its very real mortal enemies. Even if he manages to fully deplete Western arsenals of military hardware, they will still possess every last nuke that they have right now. And as sure as god made little green apples they will be used to force Russia into finally putting its money where its mouth is, or unconditionally surrender. Just like they were, long overdue, forced into the SMO. We will all pay the price for this colossal strategic blunder.
Posted by: AllSeeingEye | Oct 29 2022 18:04 utc | 32
LOL once again Russia being 1 step behind and get attacked because of that.
I said it before and I say it again, it is just a mtter of time Ukraine take out a high level politican and/or military leader in Russia.
And look at this how unprepared Russia is for these attacks, they now refrain from their Grain deal! Which proves Russia cannot be trusted in talks, what a moronic, cry-baby nation this is!
Russia suspends participation in grain deal after Ukrainian attack The decision was made due to attacks on ships of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, the Defense Ministry explainshttps://swentr.site/russia/565588-russia-suspends-grain-deal/
Posted by: Zanon | Oct 29 2022 18:04 utc | 33
Although the early reports said that all of the drones had been stopped, Project 11356R frigate Admiral Makarov, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, was reported to be damaged at its dock.
Video published on Russian channels show footage filmed by Ukrainian surface drones attacking ships of the Black Sea Fleet right in the bay of Sevastopol. The footage shows an attack on the Project 11356R Admiral Makarov.
Posted by: Belle | Oct 29 2022 18:06 utc | 34
The NATO Anglo American Death Cult is not yet satisfied in the amount of human destruction they have left behind. Not an ounce of common sense, historical perspective, or diplomacy exists in the Cult. Its only satisfaction is death, destruction, and chaos to satisfy its desire for wealth and power. Its cadre of bureaucrats follow on their heels like dogs waiting or a handout at the table.
Need anyone say more? Not I as swimming in shit is not my future,
Posted by: circumspect | Oct 29 2022 18:14 utc | 35
The Russian announcement re: British involvement in Nord Streams also makes the announcement by Sweden and Denmar et al that they knew who did it but it was a state secret even funnier. Wonder if everyone in Europe got told? This is like the world's most dire episode of Thick of It..
Posted by: super extra | Oct 29 2022 18:18 utc | 36
I’m also wondering if this attack was the purpose of the unscheduled meeting between Ben Wallace, Lloyd Austin and General Milley just over a week ago?
Posted by: Down South | Oct 29 2022 17:48 utc | 27
I think the main reason is that when Liz Truss went to see Lavrov in March as a Foreign Minister, apparently, she got her phone hacked.
All the plans and correspondence revealing secret deals of UK/NATO with Ukraine were possibly confirmed to RF intelligence, from that moment onwards.
Basically, she was compromised. And she didn't know it.
I think RF intelligence has a pretty clear picture of what is going on, and they know all the 'actors' involved.
It only remains to see how those 'bad actors' will fail and fall.
Posted by: whirlX | Oct 29 2022 18:18 utc | 37
Posted by: bevin | Oct 29 2022 22:02 utc | 34
I know you are about 100 years old and live in Canada. You are always polite, and your analysis is top class.
I just couldn't believe it when Craig Murray banned you from his blog.
You were one of the best writers there.
I could completely understand me being banned but not you.
Even so, I still like Craig Murray. I don't agree with all of his views, but he is a good man.
Being jailed for simply reporting the case of some trial in Scotland, which he attended as an accredited journalist and ex British Diplomat, in support of Julian Assange, is just so totally disgraceful, it destroys almost everything re the rule of Law - going back to 1066 The Magna Carta etc, which forms the basis of Western Civilisation..
Tony
Posted by: tonyopmoc | Oct 29 2022 18:22 utc | 38
“This is the kind of operation Hamas could pull off. What happened to all those billions funding Ukraine's super duper modern NATO backed military?”
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Oct 29 2022 17:10 utc | 10
I suspect that a good portion has gone to “grease the wheels”. The word that I learned when doing business in Eastern Europe is “provision”. As in “where is my provision?” This seems a reasonable conclusion given that the Ukraine was/is one of the most corrupt place on the planet, followed at some stage by the US.
Posted by: AParadiseLost | Oct 29 2022 18:28 utc | 39
Related piece at covert shores website dated 22 Sep by H I Sutton.
Also a piece on Southfront
Posted by: necromancer | Oct 29 2022 18:28 utc | 40
thanks b... i appreciate the update and links...
@ SergeT | Oct 29 2022 18:00 utc | 30
i agree with you and like how you framed it too - "Again, the Europeans now find themselves in a position when their lives suddenly became dependent on some guys in Kyiv."
------------
as for russia saying uk involvement.. one has to know that on a financial level - usa and uk are tied at the hip... this war continues to be about finances - who gets to define and control it... it seems like the changes are going slowly here too, but they are happening regardless.. the west can only shoot itself in the foot so many times before they have a much harder time walking, let alone commanding anything..
Posted by: james | Oct 29 2022 18:29 utc | 41
When the people of Germany, France and Europe generally are harvesting the whirlwind, they will know why.
Posted by: bevin | Oct 29 2022 22:02 utc | 45
That's the problem. Most won't.
Posted by: Tichy | Oct 29 2022 18:33 utc | 42
Andrei Martyanov on the attack
UK can deny whatever it wants, but as someone mentioned today in Russian media, London is the US' subcontractor for terrorist acts. I agree, this is the extent of the competences of the modern British Armed Forces and grossly oversold, through James Bond's comedies, intel services.Ask poor Skripal's cat. When Russia's MoFA and MoD make such claims it means Russia has a truckload of evidence to back such claims up. That also means, that after the attack on Sevastopol, which was successfully repelled by the Black Sea Fleet (one minesweeper was damaged), and which also has British ears protruding behind it, London received the black mark.
I will remind you the event from June last year when, responding to HMS Defender's provocation in the Black Sea near Russia's territorial waters, Vladimir Putin stated:
МОСКВА, 30 июн — РИА Новости. Президент России Владимир Путин заявил, что даже если бы российские корабли потопили британский эсминец Defender во время недавнего инцидента у берегов Крыма, третья мировая война все равно бы не началась.
Translation: MOSCOW, June 30 - RIA Novosti. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that even if Russian ships had sunk the British destroyer Defender during the recent incident off the coast of Crimea, World War III would still not have started.London should now be very cautious, as should be the US air assets over the Black Sea, as should be US commercial satellites.
But It Was...
Posted by: Down South | Oct 29 2022 18:35 utc | 43
A US drone routinely flies around off the coast of Crimea. Its name is usually Forte10 or Forte11.
Posted by: Jacq | Oct 29 2022 18:38 utc | 44
@18. rosneft was telling the empire how much they profit. bp b/c the empire writes the rules & bp holds dividend stock is allowed to avoid sanctions. in 2014 i bought rosneft, not dividends i am not bp...my stock is frozen due to sanctions & has been since the first sanctions targeting putin & russia. bp is impervious. that is what rosneft was telling the world---the rules based order makes the rules, rules that suit them & are @ their whim changed to suit---rules which are not ever stated, written or decided upon by any other than the select elite. what's going on is very complicated in its apparent simplicity. the world's axis are shifting the empire is aware & crazy. the exercise you wish to escalate is in full progress & much larger than 404. the axis of resistance must keep the drunk in the corner with the broken bottle sufficiently dazed not to harm only himself. so far the axis of resistance are succeeding with breath taking skill.
Posted by: emersonreturn | Oct 29 2022 18:39 utc | 45
bevin @ 46
The problem is that such as Blinken, Sullivan, Nuland, Sherman, Vindeman are the functional equivalent of "drugged up juveniles with no experience". Maybe include Obama and a few others in that list.
Look around for the adults in the room; there are none.
Posted by: oldhippie | Oct 29 2022 18:41 utc | 46
Russia's accusations are very specific where I suspect they have humint providing it, something Russia excels at. Hard to determine what the response will be as I doubt Russia will sink to the level of NATO, although I should note that all North Sea wells have their product piped to the mainland, and the UK's already hurting from high energy prices; so, killing what it gets from its remaining North Sea platforms would be major.
Attacks on the ships at Sevastapol are freaky.
Ukraine would like to sink Russia's navy and then deploy their own. They need to do this to take Crimea.
When I look at the map, I think that an amphibious landing would be required for UA forces to land on Crimea. They have to fight their way through Kherson City, cross the Dnieper, then fight across lower Kherson, then cross a much larger body of water to get to Crimea.
UA Crossing that territory is as unlikely as Russia creeping west and reaching Odessa (look at all the bodies of water - the rivers and estuaries - along the Black Sea). The most conceivable way to retake Crimea is an amphibious assault.
People will say this cannot happen, but we're past that point. Obviously NATO is going to equip, build, and train an amphibious assault force, sooner or later.
Posted by: GoFast | Oct 29 2022 18:51 utc | 48
Ukraine would like to sink Russia's navy and then deploy their own. They need to do this to take Crimea.Posted by: GoFast | Oct 29 2022 18:51 utc | 48
Ukraine sank what little navy they had at the start of the conflict, they said to prevent the ships from falling into Russian hands. To rebuild their navy would take years. Foreign military ships are prevented from Black Sea access by the Montreaux Convention (treaty).
So small drones it is, for the next while.
Posted by: Opport Knocks | Oct 29 2022 19:08 utc | 49
It will just give Russia more international cred to put down the schoolyard bully and its minions.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Oct 29 2022 16:34 utc | 1
---
Dude, you're a much better poster than this. This type of open, unabashed rooting for the local team is called being a "homer".
The danger of course is that stature can be damaged by falling into the trap of expressing completely subjective outcomes based on nothing more than hopeful wishes and desires.
How about we all agree that neither side is launching pitiful attacks because that's all they are capable of at the present time. (Obviously zato, not ukraine)
Rather, there's a rhyme and reason for these kinds of sorties, most likely just a live fire exercise. It could even be as simple as nothing more than a facet of the media war to accuse Russia of withholding grain.
Posted by: B9k9 | Oct 29 2022 19:10 utc | 50
"It is possible that the damage is greater than Russia admits." - what do you think about this. Do you feel that more ships were damaged or sunk
Posted by: d sai | Oct 29 2022 19:11 utc | 51
The folks you mention--Blinken, Sullivan, Vindman, et al.--are the teenagers who used to pay tough kids to fight bullies in school rather than fight themselves.
Posted by: FHTEX | Oct 29 2022 19:17 utc | 52
Russia does not learn that continuing to play nice they keep getting smacked in the face and continue to come back for more. They must be gluttony for punishment.
Posted by: Ken B | Oct 29 2022 19:21 utc | 53
How soon can we expect an additional $50 billion in weapons procurement funds for Ukraine from the US Senate?
uh, when are they back in session? Monday? do these "It" clowns take Halloween off?
Posted by: rjb1.5 | Oct 29 2022 19:24 utc | 54
Is that a Starlink terminal on the back of the attic boat in photograph?
Posted by: Klutch Kargo | Oct 29 2022 19:29 utc | 55
All Russians need to do is to stay calm, defend their positions, slow suffocating the Ukraine’s and the West’s economies. Time is on their side.
Posted by: SergeT | Oct 29 2022 18:00 utc | 30
---
+1
Like I've said many times, Russia won the day the central government did *not* collapse.
I for one will be interested to read the history of this event at the appropriate time.
How close did they come, or was there never any real threat? Does everyone remember the full on onslaught of (western) media accounts predicting imminent overthrow of a widely despised, sickly Putler?
Anyway, that is now months past; all one need do now is look at the strengthening ruble. Other key tells will be extractive production, industrial output, unemployment AND net immigration of capital and engineering.
Posted by: B9k9 | Oct 29 2022 19:35 utc | 56
How close did they come, or was there never any real threat? Does everyone remember the full on onslaught of (western) media accounts predicting imminent overthrow of a widely despised, sickly Putler?
Posted by: B9k9 | Oct 29 2022 19:35 utc | 56
I don't need to remember it. State media keeps singing that tune here in Sweden. A few days ago the news banner was about "Putin, the Super Spy" that was supposedly an expert at torturing people.
Posted by: Tichy | Oct 29 2022 19:39 utc | 57
Actually this is the story every day here. Swedish media is second to none when it comes to sucking US cock. The generals are lining up to murder Putin. Ukraine is about to overrun Crimea. Disgusting pigs.
Posted by: Tichy | Oct 29 2022 19:42 utc | 58
@ tonyppmoc 38
Craig Murray is a good man and most of the other good men of his political generation on rhe left of Thatcher got bought out.
The outrageous ingrown small town corruption of Scotland, combined with the wef, woke , carbuncle of the S NP, has had the intended effect of softening him in for an offer he can't refuse. All.he has to do is toe the Atlantacist line over Ukraine and he will be offered political redemption by the Atlantacist cult.
But the Atlantacist cult no.longer has the democratic or moral authority to offer redemption. It is in the asylum itself , thinking it's world king but somehow unable to get out of the straitjacket of its psychotic view of itself as important.
Posted by: Giyane | Oct 29 2022 19:46 utc | 59
Please someone fix the date stamp of the "latest" posts.
Posted by: Tichy | Oct 29 2022 19:46 utc | 60
"It is possible that the damage is greater than Russia admits." - what do you think about this. Do you feel that more ships were damaged or sunkPosted by: d sai | Oct 29 2022 19:11 utc | 51
RT reports:
The unsuccessful Ukrainian attack on the port city of Sevastopol in Crimea early on Saturday involved nine aerial and seven naval drones, Russia’s defense ministry has said.The “terrorist attack,” which targeted the vessels of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and civilian ships docked in the city began around 4.20am local time, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
...
All of the incoming drones were shot down by Russian warships and naval aviation in the bay of Sevastopol, the ministry said.According to the statement, the attack resulted in minor damage to the trawler vessel ‘Ivan Golubets’ and to the net boom barrier in the bay.
So a mine sweeper ship and some net damage were officially reported.
There may have been more damage as was suggested at the end here.
https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1586332708220784640
Posted by: Opport Knocks | Oct 29 2022 19:46 utc | 61
Posted by: Pete P | Oct 29 2022 17:44 utc | 23
"Estimates of the damage that would do range from a moderately large explosion to a full on tsunami in central London."
Whilst I didn't hear it the birds did - it caused a ripple effect 7 July 2005 . Anthony John Hill - a bloke from Yorkshire - did a video about it, merely using all video evidence he he could find - mostly from the BBC. He ended up in Wandsworth jail, merely from doing a video, skillfully editing and tying together all the video evidence he could find, whilst narrating the sound track.
He was actually in Wandsworth Jail, whilst I used to drive past nearly every day, on early shift, at the same time as Julian Assange.
At the Trial, the jury found Anthony_John_Hill
INNOCENT
The Judge said You are free to go.
So far as I am aware, he is still alive and well, for telling the truth
https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Anthony_John_Hill
But they won't let Julian Assange go
Why not?
neither of these people have killed anyone, and neither have ever been accused of violence or rape (neither of Assange's girl friends in Sweden, ever said that he had raped them when they invited him to their beds)
The most evil person in this case is Sir Keir Rodney Starmer an almost identical clone of Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair
Personally, the last time I voted was for
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn - a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialist. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Islington North since 1983. Corbyn sits in the House of Commons as an independent, having had the whip removed in October 2020.
I don't vote now.
They are all the same.
Don't say Boo to the evil Bastards currently of the in control of USA...
and they skew their propaganda to blame us British
We did not do 9/11
You Americans Did That to Yourselves - controlled by the unmentionables, who's origins have Sweet Eff All to do with England.
We never changed our names, and neither did the vast majority of Americans
Tony
Posted by: tonyopmoc | Oct 29 2022 19:49 utc | 62
Years from now, accounts of this conflict will detail how Putin practiced the Lao Tzu principles in "The Art of War".
Posted by: Richard Whitney | Oct 29 2022 19:51 utc | 63
Those drone attacks on Russian ships. Like it or not, it's a war. Either side is perfectly entitled to sink the other's warships. But:-
1. How long can it go on being a partly undeclared war.
NATO satellites and planes are said to be helping Kiev air defence with target acquisition. Almost certainly true, that. NATO surveillance is of great value to the Kiev forces. The UK Rivet Joint dedicated electronic surveillance aircraft assisting. According to Ritter, and others, there are Polish corpses now found on the battlefield. Ritter speaks of units of "sheep-dipped" Polish soldiers being sent in.
Then there's the NATO training and NATO technical assistance on the ground. Plus the supply of some fairly fancy NATO weaponry, as well as as much routine materiel as we can spare.
Then there's the basing of aircraft outside Ukraine, presumably maintained by NATO and certainly supplied by NATO.
None of this will change the course of the war. But it leads to prolonging it. More getting killed both sides and particularly Ukrainians, for whom it sometimes seems as if it's a mini-Verdun most days.
It also greatly increases the risk of escalation.
2. Then there's the risk of acts of war, also seeming to be covertly assisted, that could be seriously dangerous. Never thought I'd ever see NATO assisted forces deliberately shelling a nuclear power station. Well, I'm seeing it now.
And all this talk of "dirty bombs" - is there anything in that? American and European advisers ought to be falling over themselves looking into that, and putting a stop to it if it turns out to be a real threat. Are they?
3. Over and above all that there's the plain fact that the Western populations, particularly in Europe, are entirely on board with the story our politicians and media are giving us on this war.
I've never seen anything like it. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria - in all those cases there were plenty of sceptics and many voices raised in opposition. Not all of us, not by a long chalk, but enough to act as at least some hindrance to the Washington neocons. More importantly, some of the European politicians were themselves sceptical to at least some degree, the German in particular I think, and that also must have acted as a brake.
Not this time round. It's no exaggeration to state that it's almost a patriotic duty to believe what we are told about this war by our politicians. It is only "Putin bots" who protest and such protest is akin to treason. Certainly in continental Europe there are voices raised in opposition, but only because this war will cost us dear, not because we in the West are in the wrong.
So too with those few authoritative voices heard opposing what the West is doing. General Lord Richards, for me the most authoritative and plain-spoken critic of this war, deplores the wanton sacrifice of our proxies and is right to do so; but I have not heard him say that we in the West provoked the war and that we ourselves are in the wrong in that respect. General Kujat, again the most authoritative critic I know of in Germany, also does not insist that the overall picture we have been given of this war is incorrect.
This is dangerous, this near universal acceptance of the picture painted by our politicians and media. The Kiev regime, in truth no more than a group of extremists living in the frenetic no holds barred atmosphere of the last days is the bunker, is transformed into a virtuous group of heroes. Zelensky, a dubious figure in reality, becomes and is frequently spoken of as the Ukraine's Churchill. There is nothing they can do that will not be whitewashed by our media and, it seems, nothing they can do, however risky or deplorable, in which they will not be covertly assisted by us.
So we have a not so covert NATO/Russia war, a war in which nothing is off the table, and the Western public happy to cheer on whatever dubious actions Kiev or Kiev's backers can dream up by way of retaliation or provocation as this war, inevitably, goes against them.
This is plain dangerous. I liked the limited and restricted aims of the SMO. I thought it would lead to the fewest casualties and the least harm to the civilian population of the old Ukraine. But given these dangerous circumstances set out above I believe it's time for the Russians to end this thing in short order. Too risky not to.
Posted by: English Outsider | Oct 29 2022 19:51 utc | 64
re Down South | Oct 29 2022 18:35 utc | 43
"London should now be very cautious, as should be the US air assets over the Black Sea, as should be US commercial satellites."
Martyanov has it right, And I suspect that those military 'assets', the satellites and US unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicles, like the big global Hawks, may soon be targeted.
the US & its dear dear friend the UK have passed a number of Russia's red lines - Russia calling out the UK for its role in the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines is quite serious, and may have immense consequences.
This has been the thing with the US Empire and its minions; they have done what they want against so many smaller and essentially defenseless countries for so long, and suffered so few consequences and repercussions, that their audacity and insolence have gotten the better of them. Not to mention their loss of reasoning, lucidity and clear vision, something acutely necessary when thinking of attacking a fully-armed nuclear adversary who also has supersonic conventional weapons against which you/Nato have no defense. Yeah, remember that?
US imperial plans have hit the brick wall of Russia, of Russian determination and military equivalence if not superiority. The foolish Brits (and their arrogant puppet-masters) are playing with fire.
Posted by: michaelj72 | Oct 29 2022 19:52 utc | 65
This is getting awfully close to direct involvement of the, in this case it seems, British in the conflict.
It also makes it clear to Russia what kind of escalation they can expect in the future as the West gets more bold and more comfortable with a direct approach.
The problem for Russia is that Western assets can target them now but Russia cant do the same for it will be a declaration of War which they will be seen as starting.
I wonder how will they react in this case.
There is also the fact that the West can get away with only so much in terms of direct involvement before it is obvious to most western citizens that they are in fact at war with Russia and there is no point in denying it.
The language in the russian statements is also getting closer to accusing the West of terrorism directly.
Posted by: alek_a | Oct 29 2022 19:59 utc | 66
The best Russian reply will be to do a "regime change" and put Truss back in power. That would hamstring the UK for the forseeable future.
**
Although the UK has been fingered as the principal "suspect" or instigator of the drone attacks it is not clear what Russia needs to do, The UK Military falls to pieces all on it's own. Aircraft carriers with no planes have propellors fall off, and new armoured vehicles shake so much that troops get sick in them. All that is left is an Army made up of Scots, Welshmen and Northern Irish. With just a smattering of English and immigrants. (OK, I am being unnecessarily rude, but most armies in the world now have recruitment problms.)
Might they try a parallel movement, not against the people, but against the "leaders"? Some must have dirty secrets that would be best known to the UK population, coming out as "leaks"? Panama papers again? Calls for the UK to be eliminated from the UN Security Council as a "third rate" country and replaced by India or Indonesia??
Posted by: Stonebird | Oct 29 2022 20:01 utc | 67
almost every time i refresh, i get a message that my connection is being checked to make sure it's secure. i am hoping that eventually, it will recognize my address.
and thank you so much for this blog. it is a lifesaver in a world where i love my job, but i also cannot speak my truth about russia.
Posted by: polarbear4 | Oct 29 2022 20:09 utc | 68
Some links on publicised British 'Navyx' unmanned sea vehicle development:
https://navalpost.com/royal-navy-commissions-madfox-usv/
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/autonomous-apac24-set-for-opv-trials
https://navalpost.com/bae-systems-shows-the-integration-of-the-new-usv-with-royal-navy-frigate/
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/navyx
https://www.baesystems.com/en/cybersecurity/blog/the-navyx-factor
Posted by: diagonal | Oct 29 2022 20:10 utc | 69
Re: going slow
No, it isn't going slow.
It is allowing the West to destroy its own elites' political credibility and Western economies through said elites' ham-handed sanctions and other actions.
This is siege warfare, not blitzkrieg.
Posted by: c1ue | Oct 29 2022 20:13 utc | 70
If the American drone was coordinating the attack it would be legitimate to down it. Or at least interfere in its flight.
Posted by: RB | Oct 29 2022 20:32 utc | 71
Every day I search for some real news, and so glad I found this site. ! ! !
Posted by: tiska | Oct 29 2022 20:51 utc | 72
The Mighty Wurlitzer of western propaganda sang a very loud song about third world famine, due to Russia (of course).
Russia called their bluff and guaranteed the shipments.
As usual, western greed won out and they sent the released grain to profitable markets, ignoring the starving poor about who they professed such concern.
The Mighty Wurlitzer didn't play that song, but Putin has made the point in public and I assume in private to the leaders of dependent countries. So cutting off the deal is a reasonable response.
Posted by: wagelaborer | Oct 29 2022 21:11 utc | 74
one perspective
https://t.me/intelslava/40252
After the terrorist attack on the Crimean bridge, Ukraine lost more than a third of its distribution and generating capacities.
After the drone attack on Sevastopol, Russia has every opportunity to completely close the export of any product from Ukraine by sea.
Retribution should be as heavy and painful as possible.
Posted by: michaelj72 | Oct 29 2022 21:11 utc | 75
every operation has a set of parameters gamed. objectives outcomes risk reward etc. so you have to ask what benefits to attackers was ratioed here. minimal damage for the expected escalation reply. people ask about uk running the show, city of london bankers seem to be calling it here. its their money world on the line. mi6 etc have long been outside a " yes minister " scenario where pm of the day has any input other than a signature if at all they even know. these drones or bits left will have signs of ownership stamped all over the parts. so theres no illusions of where they are sourced from.
Posted by: hankster | Oct 29 2022 21:13 utc | 76
Hello How Are you?
I am under the water
Please help me
its raining too much
njahahahahahaha
Posted by: Macpott | Oct 29 2022 21:15 utc | 77
Years from now, accounts of this conflict will detail how Putin practiced the Lao Tzu principles in "The Art of War".
Posted by: Richard Whitney | Oct 29 2022 19:51 utc | 63
.
.
.
There might be some Lao Tzu principles in "the Art of War", but authorship is attributed to Sun Tzu.
Posted by: tucenz | Oct 29 2022 21:21 utc | 78
Years from now, accounts of this conflict will detail how Putin practiced the Lao Tzu principles in "The Art of War".
Posted by: Richard Whitney | Oct 29 2022 19:51 utc | 63
.
.
.
There might be some Lao Tzu principles in "the Art of War", but authorship is attributed to Sun Tzu.
Posted by: tucenz | Oct 29 2022 21:21 utc | 79
" 🇷🇺❗️Shoigu announced the completion of partial mobilization in Russia - the main statement from the report of the Minister of Defense to the President of the Russian Federation
- the task of partially mobilizing 300,000 people has been completed, the military registration and enlistment offices will continue recruiting volunteers and candidates for contract service;
- the average age of those called up as part of partial mobilization is 35 years;
- 13,000 Russians went to the troops as volunteers, without waiting for summons from the military registration and enlistment offices; "
Based on the figures above only 13,000 Russian men joined voluntarily, From a nation of 150 million ? I thought Putin made it clear to his nation that this conflict is an existential threat to Russia, yet Russian men dont seem to agree. Also, why is the average age of the mobilized 35 years old ? That seems to be on the older side. Shouldn't the average age be 25 ? Where are the young ?
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Oct 29 2022 21:22 utc | 80
" @ 7 Meh
I fully agree publicly placing blame on the uk for Nord sabotage as well as this attack, carries significant importance.
Posted by: NJH | Oct 29 2022 22:01 utc | 78 "
The problem with placing blame on the UK, for what amounts to at least two acts of war, and not retaliating in a very public manner makes the Russian government look weak in its people's eyes. Whats the point ? Additionally, everyone knows its the US thats running the show, why not just call out the leader and not the henchmen ?
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Oct 29 2022 21:26 utc | 81
Russia called their bluff and guaranteed the shipments. As usual, western greed won out and they sent the released grain to profitable markets, ignoring the starving poor about who they professed such concern.
The Mighty Wurlitzer didn't play that song, but Putin has made the point in public, and I assume in private to the leaders of dependent countries. So, cutting off the deal is a reasonable response.
Posted by: wagelaborer | Oct 29 2022 21:11 utc | 74
I suspect that the Mighty Wurlitzer will sing again about the poor who will now have no grain, even though Russia has offered give their grain to Africa that they were promised they sell on
the open market but has been confiscated by the EU.
Posted by: EdNelson | Oct 29 2022 21:30 utc | 82
" Years from now, accounts of this conflict will detail how Putin practiced the Lao Tzu principles in "The Art of War".
Posted by: Richard Whitney | Oct 29 2022 19:51 utc | 63
.
.
.
There might be some Lao Tzu principles in "the Art of War", but authorship is attributed to Sun Tzu.
Posted by: tucenz | Oct 29 2022 21:21 utc | 78 "
Especially the core part of the " art of war " which states quite clearly that a war should be concluded as quickly as possible.. Putin must have missed that part.
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Oct 29 2022 21:30 utc | 83
Especially the core part of the " art of war " which states quite clearly that a war should be concluded as quickly as possible.. Putin must have missed that part.
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Oct 29 2022 21:30 utc | 83
You are misreading the Art of War or have a badly translated version.
As far as the length of the conflict goes, the main takeaway is that nobody benefits from a prolonged conflict.
"Benefit" being a relative term as one side will benefit less from a prolonged conflict, therefore in some cases prolonging a conflict is a winning strategy.
"As quickly as possible" is another relativity, Russia is going as quickly as possible.
The biggest takeaway from the Art of War is that nothing is set in stone. Winning tactics, operations and strategies are all relative to the Now, and may change when the Now becomes the Now.
If NATO wants to burn through all their cannon fodder before the main event even starts, let them.
Posted by: Haassaan | Oct 29 2022 21:50 utc | 84
EdNelson@82 and wage laborer
Ukraine/NATO also used the 'grain shipments' to smuggle the enormous explosive device that was used to attack the Crimea bridge.
It is not just that they are greedy profiteers, making money from desperately poor people in famines, they are also utterly untrustworthy criminals who break faith every time they make agreements.
Posted by: bevin | Oct 29 2022 21:54 utc | 85
Loose Lips Sink Ships…….
Russian internet watchdog restricts access to t.me domain – registry
This follows from the data of the Roskomnadzor service for checking access restrictions to sites on the Internet
MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. Access has been restricted to t.me domain belonging to the Telegram messenger, according to data published on Saturday on the Russian internet watchdog (Roskomnadzor) service for checking access restrictions to websites and/or Internet pages.
The registry said that access to the page was restricted at the request of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office.
https://tass.com/society/1529655
Posted by: Melaleuca | Oct 29 2022 22:00 utc | 86
@ 7 Meh
I fully agree publicly placing blame on the uk for Nord sabotage as well as this attack, carries significant importance.
Posted by: NJH | Oct 29 2022 22:01 utc | 87
@ 7 Meh
I fully agree publicly placing blame on the uk for Nord sabotage as well as this attack, carries significant importance.
Posted by: NJH | Oct 29 2022 22:01 utc | 88
@ 7 Meh
I fully agree publicly placing blame on the uk for Nord sabotage as well as this attack, carries significant importance.
Posted by: NJH | Oct 29 2022 22:01 utc | 89
It seems obvious that the decision makers in this campaign are very low down in the hierarchy, completely oblivious of the consequences of their actions and uncontrolled by any adults in government.
One gets the impression that drugged up juveniles with no experience beyond games and computer simulations are playing around with the fate of millions-in fact with the fate of the entire planet.
One day these silly games are going to succeed and the consequences are going to be immediate and horrific.
Right now there are agents of NATO, most of them probably Russian speaking Ukrainians, roaming arounf Russia and Belarus just looking for targets. It was a pair of agents like these who killed the young journalist Dugina. Years ago it was agents of this kind who killed dozens of schoolkids they took hostage.
NATO is out of control and its agents are blithely sowing the wind, in terms of hate propaganda and murderous deeds. When the people of Germany, France and Europe generally are harvesting the whirlwind, they will know why.
Posted by: bevin | Oct 29 2022 22:02 utc | 90
As a Canadian, I can completely sympathize with the well meaning Ukrainian people whose supposedly democratically elected government continually humiliates and discredits them. This must be brought to an end as soon as possible and steps taken to ensure such tyrannical forces never again rise up and humiliate the good citizens of the world who wish to learn, work hard, raise families and leave the world a better place for all to enjoy.
Posted by: Berkleyboy | Oct 29 2022 22:05 utc | 91
It seems to me that Russia has enough evidence of US and British involvement in this and other attacks to justify moving on to declaring a maritime and air exclusion zone extending 200 kilometers from Russian AND Ukrainian coasts. This should specify that naval and air assets of all non neutral countries are subject to destruction without warning. Will we and the Pommies squeal about "violation of international law"? Of course we would, but it would be all sound and fury signifying nothing. Recall the Pommies declared an exclusion zone for 200 mile radius of the falklands. It was a war zone and so is Ukraine; Any aircraft, manned or otherwise, belonging to western countries should be warned away during an arbitrary and short time period (48 hours is enough), after which they should be attacked and destroyed by Russia. Russia has to play hardball if she's going to prevail and SMO should be scrapped and replaced with an overt declaration of war by Russia against Ukraine with no stated goal other than unconditional surrender. It's most likely going to come to that anyway. Might as well get on with it.
Posted by: A.Pols | Oct 29 2022 22:06 utc | 92
".. one has to know that on a financial level - usa and uk are tied at the hip..." james@ 41
The City is virtually independent and completely unresponsive to the UK's needs or priorities. That was proved pretty clearly by the reaction to the Truss-Kwarteng budget. And the speed with which her government crashed when it lost City confidence.
And then there is Wall St, which is similarly inclined but much more tied in to Washington for whose power it has as much respect as billions of dollars in campaign contributions signify.
The truth is that The City and Wall Street both work in tandem with Washington DC. As to the millions of British and Americans whose lives are at stake in these financial games, nobody gives a shit about them. And they don't much care themselves.
Posted by: bevin | Oct 29 2022 22:09 utc | 93
" If NATO wants to burn through all their cannon fodder before the main event even starts, let them.
Posted by: Haassaan | Oct 29 2022 21:50 utc | 84 "
Except," cannon fodder " by its very nature is disposable. On the other hand, what is Russia burning through, their own version of under equipped " cannon fodder" ?
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Oct 29 2022 22:11 utc | 94
tonyopmoc #28
"These people are Traitors not just to England but all of Humanity."
Indeed and, as with Karl Marx, we patiently await the englander people's revolution ;)
At least the lettuce battalion have had a win.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Oct 29 2022 22:12 utc | 95
Posted by: Bill Smith | Oct 30 2022 2:03 utc | 89
Yes, the next time the missile could accidently come off the wing and accidentally hit the British reconnaissance plane.
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 29 2022 22:15 utc | 96
Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Oct 29 2022 21:22 utc | 80
Apart from the 300,000 mobilized, a further over 80,000 volunteers have also signed up to fight in Ukraine. Among these is a number of actual military recruitment officers that oversaw the mobilization effort. Individuals that saw others being sent to the front have also voluntarily gone there. There are thousands of managers, government workers and officials, and a vast number of common folk that have gone to war. Because they believe in ridding the world of the scourge of fascism.
There was 300 000 mobilized, and 80 000 volunteers on top of that, far cry from 13 000.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad/17146
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 29 2022 22:20 utc | 97
I liked the limited and restricted aims of the SMO. I thought it would lead to the fewest casualties and the least harm to the civilian population of the old Ukraine. But given these dangerous circumstances set out above I believe it's time for the Russians to end this thing in short order. Too risky not to.
Posted by: English Outsider | Oct 29 2022 19:51 utc | 64
I think that Russia is about to put an end to this war as soon this winter. I agree with you, I too supported and understood the nature of the SMO, but the collective West has taken advantage of Russia's careful slow motion and entirely defensive SMO tactics. It is now time to take it to Kiev and Western Ukraine. I'm just projecting here but when the ground freezes, I would clear the skies of all NATO/US aerial rubbish, take down Elons satellites, and present a lightning-fast attack all the way to the Dnieper River. Take Odessa in the South and capture Kiev from the North as well. But that is just me, what do I know?
Posted by: Ed Nelson | Oct 29 2022 22:21 utc | 98
The Ukrainian proxy army was amassed in the Donbas for a spring offensive against the Lugansk on Donesk regions.... Russia moved forces to the border to counter the threat and I expect NATO aka Washington DC expected an invasion and blitzkrieg one in particular...based on Warsaw pact doctrine...Russia went in with velvet gloves because the war up till the February intervention by Russia was a civil war... Kievan forces against Ukrainian militias from Lugansk and Donesk....and the majority of Eastern Ukraine is very much Russian in culture faith and language. This was why so many small unit tactics with man portable air and SRRAW anti armour systems where supplied...for a Ukrainian insurgency against a occupational conventional Russian army. This backfired so the U.S had to hastily ship all it's heavy armour to it's Southern States deep water ports for transit to Europe. The globalists need a war to hide their crimes and resurrect the collapsing U.S dollar. Every day Russia holds off on world war...another day to Western fiat run economic collapse and violence in the streets as the dissolutioned western population...cold and hungry eat their slave owners....so the west can't let that happen so prepare for a NATO nuclear strike first....so the globalists cam sit in their deep bunkers and wait for their reset
Posted by: Joe | Oct 29 2022 22:21 utc | 99
Interesting times.
In other news, the Russians are pointing their finger directly at UK navies SBS for sabotage of the Baltic Sea gas pipelines. Clearly, the Russians knew in advance that none of the three countries investigating the gas pipelines would directly blame their local ally UK for this cowardly act. For the Russians do have a number of advanced mini-subs based in the Baltic Naval bases. Due to habitual CIA/SBS undersea visitors. Constantly tapping undersea cables. Like a game of cat and mouse. This has been ongoing since Cold War 1.0.
Who knew the UK lackey vassal state would do their CIA master's direct bidding? The sun has truly and finally set in the UK. The final reunion of Northern Ireland begins in..........
Given the latest attack at Sevastopol. I would suspect the life of all UK special advisors, attached and/or stationed in country 404. Will not be a very long one..........
Complete destruction of the country 404 Naval staff colleges and HQs starts in....
Posted by: Bad Deal Motors On | Oct 29 2022 22:23 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
Thanks for the posting b.
Does empire think that attacks like this are going to change the course of the effort? If they do then I think they are wrong.
It was written elsewhere that attacks like this are toy testing for the MIC but I am of the opinion that we are in desperation land of empire and this is the best they can do in a rush. While they are having some success, I doubt it will change the outcome and just give Russia more international cred to put down the schoolyard bully and its minions.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Oct 29 2022 16:34 utc | 1